


Queen Consort

by kafuka



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Class Reunions, F/F, Future Fic, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28105611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kafuka/pseuds/kafuka
Summary: At their ten year class reunion, Raven keeps her eyes on Apple.
Relationships: Raven Queen/Apple White
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Queen Consort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [XenomorphLiebe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/XenomorphLiebe/gifts).



Most people first seeing Raven Queen would assume she wasn’t the type for high school reunions. She’d never gone out of her way to look like her Ever After High classmates, who mainly dressed in pinks or pastels (or both) and curled their hair as tightly as possible. Even in her late twenties she favored dark clothing, heavy eyeliner, and purple lipstick. After she became the official queen of her kingdom, the castle remained decorated with the black candles, drop chandeliers, and cobwebs her mother left behind. This dark aesthetic continued to put people off, even though Raven was a much kinder ruler than her mother. But Raven did appreciate the peace. Her castle was quiet and her staff few. But in spite of all this, Raven was at her ten year high school reunion, having a wonderful time.

She sat at a table surrounded by old friends and classmates that used to call themselves “Rebels”. Her long-time best friend, Maddie Hatter, sat to her right, chatting away with Ashlynn Ella, Ever After’s premier shoemaker. Her husband Hunter Huntsman listened intently, if warily, to what Maddie was saying. He and Ashlynn married soon after graduation, and Hunter, despite now being a king, still showed up to the reunion in flannel robes. Ashlynn was wearing a dress with ruffles that matched the checked pattern. Next to them sat Lizzie Hearts, ruler of Wonderland. Lizzie was also listening to Maddie, throwing in her own comments as Maddie gesticulated wildly, pulling things that looked suspiciously like mixed drink ingredients out of her oversized hat, which sat on the table in front of her. On Lizzie’s other side was the person Raven was currently engaged in conversation with, Cedar Wood. 

“So last month Lizzie found out the mome raths’ outgrabe needed restoring and I convinced her to let me do it.” Cedar was saying. “But they’re so small! I’m working with a team of the finest art restorers in Ever After, but it’s still going to be a real challenge.”

“Who even made them in the first place? And how did you convince Lizzie to let you?” Raven asked. Cedar picked up her water goblet and tilted to her lips. Raven watched the ring on her left hand catch the light. The stone on it was a large amethyst in the shape of a heart.

“The mome raths made them, naturally.” Cedar said, setting down her drink. “And well, it helps to be married to Lizzie when trying to convince her of something.” She and Raven giggled.

“I’m sure it does. How is the Queen Consort life treating you?” Raven asked.

Cedar looked down at her left hand and began playing with the ring. “It’s very different. My dad loves it in Wonderland. He says it really reawakened his creative juices. And I guess it’s the same for me. Nothing is the same twice, you know? And there’s always something new to discover and enchant you. But there’s really nowhere else I’d rather be…” she drifted off and looked over her shoulder at Lizzie, who was rummaging around in Maddie’s hat while Ashlynn egged her on. 

Raven cleared her throat and Cedar snapped back to attention. “Oh, sorry!” She said with a self conscious giggle. “How about you, Raven? How are things going with--?”

The lights dimmed and a hush fell over the crowd. Cedar smiled apologetically at Raven and turned toward the stage at the front of the room. 

Raven looked up to see Apple White step out from behind the enormous red curtains. The crowd erupted in applause and she smiled widely and waved. She adjusted the microphone attached to the podium and lifted a pair of glasses from the chain around her neck onto her nose. 

“Hello everyone and good evening to the Second Class of Classics at Ever After High.”

Another round of applause and cheers went around the room. Apple waited for it to die down before continuing.

“I’m so glad all of you could be with us tonight. As host of the event, I want to be the first to welcome each and every one of you to your ten year high school reunion.” More cheers and applause rang out. Apple smiled. “Yes, we’re pretty cool, aren’t we?” More cheers, more applause.

“Please make yourself at home at the castle. My home is also yours tonight. Remember, if you need any help getting a carriage home, we have a service contracted to take you right to your door. Don’t attempt to drink and ride a horse home. There are also plenty of spare guest rooms available, but they’re likely to fill up fast, so make sure to sign up for a room as soon as possible if you need one. Which really just means you should party to your heart’s content.”

As the cheering died down for what felt like the millionth time, Raven caught Apple’s gaze from the crowd. Apple held her eyes for a moment too long and smiled. Raven felt her face flush. 

Apple let her gaze linger for another second before turning her attention back to the crowd at large. “But most of all, tonight is a celebration of both our past and our futures together. Our class truly was special. We changed so much in our short time at Ever After High. Whether you remember being a Royal, a Rebel, or something in-between, you helped change history for the better. And for that I wish to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Not only did you change Ever After, but you all changed my life as well, and I can’t thank you enough.”

Apple adjusted her glasses and continued. “I thought I knew what my life was supposed to be way back when we started as freshmen, but I guess that just goes to show you have no idea what you’re doing as a teenager.” The crowd chuckled. “I knew what my happily ever after was supposed to be from the moment I was born. I wanted it so badly. I wanted that happily ever after. But all of you showed me that sometimes your happily ever after isn’t what you expect it to be, and that’s what makes it so special.”

For a final time, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Apple waved to the crowd, told them to enjoy their night, and left the stage.

“Wow, that was pretty heartfelt,” Cedar said, turning back to Raven, her eyebrows raised. 

Raven couldn’t help but laugh. “She’s always known how to stir up emotions through speeches.”

“That she has,” Cedar said, and they went back to talking.

Throughout the night, Raven let people come to her. She was having a great time, but she would barely finish a conversation when someone else would be vying for her ear. From her moored spot at the table she watched Apple make the rounds, tracking her out of the corner of her eye while she chatted with their former classmates. Every table in the room welcomed her with loud greetings and warm welcomes. It was easy to know where she was, because that part of the room was bound to be the loudest and most raucous. But at some point in the night Dexter Charming installed himself in Cedar’s vacated seat, and while he and Raven reminisced on their failed high school courtship, Raven lost sight of Apple.

“Darling really tried hard to get us together, didn’t she?” Dexter said, laughing.

“She just wanted you to be happy. She looked out for you. She was practically your bodyguard. Or maybe your wingman?” Raven said and Dexter rolled his eyes, looking askance. 

“She was absolutely my bodyguard. And well, she tried to be my wingman. She always said-- Uh, what are you looking for?” Dexter asked, watching Raven scan the crowd.

“Oh,” Raven said, caught off guard, “I was just--”

“Raven?”

Raven and Dexter turned to find Apple standing behind them, hands folded at her waist but fingers fidgeting.

“Oh, Apple,” Dexter said. “How are you? I’m having a great time. This party is amazing.”

“I’m glad to hear it Dexter,” Apple said, her eyes quickly sliding off of him. “Do you mind if I speak to you privately, Raven?”

“Uh, sure,” Raven said, standing slowly. “I’ll catch you later, Dexter.”

“Uh, yeah. Later.” Dexter said, watching the two women sweep past him, their long gowns causing a breeze as they went.

Apple led Raven out into the front hall of the castle and past the guards on either side of the enormous front door. Raven looked at the guards, but they faced forward without even a sidelong glance at their queen. She swallowed hard and followed Apple into the castle gardens.

“Apple…?” Raven asked quietly as they turned a corner and headed toward the castle’s hedge maze. But Apple said nothing and entered the maze. Raven followed. 

“Apple, what’s so important that you couldn’t discuss it inside?” Raven asked, turning to follow Apple into the maze. But before she could take more than three steps, Apple’s body slammed into her, wrapping her in a crushing embrace.

Raven gasped and staggered backwards, grabbing Apple’s dress to steady herself. “A-Apple?” She asked, trying to catch the breath Apple’s hug knocked out of her.

“Raven, tonight is so special,” she began, her voice watery. She pulled away and clutched Raven’s shoulders. Raven watched hot, fat tears drip down her pale face, slightly horrified. “I wanted to do this on stage, but I knew!” Apple choked on her own words a little. “I knew you’d hate me for it.” She hiccuped and took a step back, teetering on her high heels. Raven reached out to try and steady her, but instead Apple dropped to the ground. 

“Apple!” Raven cried, pitching forward to try and grab her before she crashed to the ground. But before she could reach her, Apple had steadied herself into a couch and was fiddling with something in her robes. “What are you doing?”

“I wrote that speech for you, you know,” Apple was saying, still digging in her clothes. “I wanted to single you out and say them to you on stage. I wanted to make a big deal out of it. But you know who talked me out of it? Maddie! Maddie of all people had to be the logical one! Can you believe it?” She had stopped crying, her face now screwed up in concentration. Raven was frozen in her half-lunge, half-crouch. Apple wanted to single her out? Maddie was logical? What the hell was going on here?

“But she was right, of course. She’s your best friend for a reason.” Apple stopped digging in her robes and clutched something in her hands, covering it from Raven’s sight. “So I’m going to say it the right way now: “I thought I knew what my life was supposed to be way back when we started as freshmen. I knew what my happily ever after was supposed to be from the moment I was born. I wanted it so badly. I wanted that happily ever after. But you showed me that sometimes your happily ever after isn’t what you expect it to be, and that’s what makes it so special.” She hiccuped again and opened her hands, raising them towards Raven. “Raven Queen, will you marry me?”

Raven stood there, stunned. “...Are… are you _drunk_?” 

Apple’s doe eyes crinkled at the corners and she let a small giggle escape. “Um, maybe? Everyone wanted to get me a drink whenever I came to their table. I couldn’t refuse. I’m the hostess.”

Raven blinked down at her. She let her eyes slide to the ring box in Apple’s proffered hands. It contained a silver ring with an onyx gemstone. The gem made up the abdomen of a spider, and the legs wrapped around into the band. Surrounding the onyx stone were four smaller ones: three were dark purple, but one was a gleaming ruby. Raven gasped.

“Are you telling me…” Raven said, her eyes linger on the ring, “...that the speech you gave tonight was originally meant for you to use when you proposed to me?”

Apple nodded.

Raven blinked hard at Apple. Her mascara was running down her face. The curls Raven watched Apple’s royal hairdresser place so perfectly before the party were starting to loosen and roll off her head. Her robes and dress were dusty from the half-tumble she took to get down on one knee. And Raven couldn’t help but laugh.

She laughed so hard she sunk to her knees in front of Apple.

“Raven…?” Apple asked quietly. “Are you--?”

“Yes!” Raven said, wiping happy tears from her eyes. “Yes, Apple, of course I’ll marry you.”

Apple sniffled and removed the ring from where it was nestled into the box. She took Raven’s offered hand and slid in the ring over her dark purple gloves. Raven raised her hand towards her face to get a closer look.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, letting her gaze slide from it to Apple’s smiling, red face.

“You’re beautiful,” Apple said, and leaned over to kiss her.

Raven stood and helped Apple wobble to her feet. “I think you got some of your runny mascara on my cheek.”

“Oh no, did it run?! I thought I used the waterproof kind!”

Raven smiled. “Were you so nervous that you used the wrong one?”

“Maybe,” Apple said, looking away shily. Raven laughed.

“But Apple?” She said.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for not making a big deal out of it. I would have died of embarrassment if you’d proposed to me on stage tonight.” Raven said. She squeezed Apple’s hand as they walked back towards the castle.

Apple squeezed back. “I know. I knew I wanted to do it tonight, and Maddie was able to talk me out of making a scene. She was right, of course. I knew you’d hate it.”

“You’re known me long enough. I figured you could come to that conclusion yourself.”

“What can I say?” Apple asked, lifting her dress so she could ascend the stairs back into the castle. “I was nervous.”

Raven peeked into the front hall to find no one loitering except the guards. She started pulling Apple toward the stairs. “You were nervous? We’ve known each other forever and we’ve been together since high school and you were nervous?”

“Hey, proposing is a big deal! Even if we were going to be the only ones around, I wanted to do it right.”

Raven stopped at the top of the stairs and held Apple’s hand as she wobbled up the last few steps. She took Apple’s other hand as she reached the landing and looked into her eyes. “You did it exactly right, Apple.”

Apple smiled. “I’m glad.” And they kissed.

“Okay, let’s get your makeup and hair fixed before we head back to the party.” Raven said, stepping back from the kiss and using her hold on Apple to guide her towards their bedroom.

“Do we have to go back already?” Apple asked, following Raven. “I figured we could celebrate privately for a little while…” She grinned and Raven grinned back. “You know, before we go back and announce our engagement to everyone.”

Raven groaned as she opened the door to their room. “Apple…”

“Hey, I did the engagement your way. But I’m doing the announcement mine.” Apple said, following her inside.

Raven laughed and wrapped her arms around Apple’s shoulders. “Alright. I give. We’ll do it your way.”

Apple wrapped her arms around Raven’s waist. “I like the sound of that.”

**Author's Note:**

> [This is the ring](https://www.etsy.com/listing/753744667/sterling-silver-black-rhodium-plated?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ts1-a-jewelry-rings-other&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQiA8dH-BRD_ARIsAC24umY1oPCcP354-Md7ahlxr4EHz_OeW1F2xX00g4E75LhzjRCIkTTdft0aAjPbEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_2063076455_76452850295_367965823437_aud-496171761279:pla-311089096229_c__753744667_116060732&utm_custom2=2063076455&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8dH-BRD_ARIsAC24umY1oPCcP354-Md7ahlxr4EHz_OeW1F2xX00g4E75LhzjRCIkTTdft0aAjPbEALw_wcB) Apple gives Raven, with slightly different colors.
> 
> And since I know people will ask, yes, Lizzie/Cedar is my rare pair. I had the idea to write an entire future fic for them where Lizzie asks Cedar to paint her royal portrait and they fall in love, but I only ever finished the first chapter. Maybe I'll get back to it one day.


End file.
